Chapter 3: Friends, with benefits.
"Hindi lang din naman ikaw yung nasaktan eh, ako rin naman. Hindi lang ikaw yung nawalan, ako rin. Stop acting like you're the one who only lost kuya, masakit din para sakin na nawala sya, pero alam mo hindi lang yun yung masakit. Alam mo yung isa pa? yun yung tingin mo kaibigan lang tingin ko sa'yo. Kasi hindi eh. Mahal kita. Mahal na mahal parin kita."
"Ayame?"
"Mm?" she hummed in response. He held her hands tightly and intertwined his fingers with hers. She gave him a warm, reassuring smile.
"I've been wondering... do you still love my brother?" he asked, her smile faded into a frown a she gave him the answer. His hazel brown eyes fixed on the moon and stars above. She rested her head on his shoulder as she squeezed his hand.
"No." he stared down at her as he also gave her a frown. He let out a long, dramatic sigh. "If I still love him, then I should've fought for him when your sister told me that Cherry is pregnant with Sagel's child. Which isn't true, besides...I..." he cut her off before she continues to answer his question.
"You know, he loves you, more than anything." He said, looking straight into her deep brown eyes, squeezing her hand then kissed it.
"I know. And I hate myself for not returning his feelings. You know, I love you." She said.
"No, I think you're just feeling guilty because of my unrequited love for you." He said, looking away and slipping away his hand from hers.
"You know that's not true, Eli." She said. "Look at me," her eyes bore into his beautiful pair of eyes that's still full of love and compassion. "I love you." she said before she kissed him on the corner of his mouth.
"I love you, too. I should go. I'll see you someday." He said as he gave her a warm smile.
"Under the stars."
She woke up from her dream, she is confused, she should be in the study room, that's the place where she last went to.
Ah, Sagel.
Whenever she dreams of Eli, he always tells her that he will see her again under the stars.
However, when he said the last, familiar sentence, it felt real.
It felt as if he was just there, telling her those words.
She just shrugged it off and faced the man beside her, that's peacefully sleeping.
"Sagel..." she barely whispered as she kissed his forehead.
"I'm sorry, I still love him." She cupped his face and he leaned into her touch.
And with that, she, again, dozed off to sleep.
------------------
SAGEL'S POV
I woke up with the beep of my watch.
2 am.
I turned around to see—
"Faye?" I called out. She's not here beside me. Where is she? Bumangon ako para hanapin sya.
And there she is.
In the study room, she's sleeping in the desk. Her paper works scattered around. She's been working hard.
As expected of my wife.
"Faye?" nilapitan ko sya para gisingin sana, but she just let out a groan. I guess she's really that tired.
May sakit pa nga sya sa totoo lang, may lagnat parin sya. Kumuha ako ng Kool Fever para ilapat sa noo nya saka ko sya binuhat pabalik ng kwarto.
"You've been working so hard." I whispered nung natabi ko na sya sakin sa kama. I kissed her forehead when she mumbled something.
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Sabi ko sakanya. How I wish na sabihin nya sakin yung mga salitang yun, ng gising sya.
"Eli..." Oh.
I guess it wasn't me, after all. I'm so stupid.
It will always be him.
FAYE'S POV
"Sagel what kind of sick joke is this?! What is this rectangular white thing with blue gel doing in my forehead? And hey! What are you doing?!" I almost yelled at him. I smelled something burning, kaya ako nakagising/
"I'm sorry if... you know, I burnt the fried rice. And that's a Kool Fever, just so you know." He smiled sheepishly. Seriously? Sino ba kasi nagsabi na sya magluto ng almusal namin? At ano? Kool Fever?!
"You should've just woke me up or told me last night if you want some fried rice with eggs and hotdogs. Plus, this thing is kind of cute. We should buy more of this. " Sabi ko sakanya. Tinanggal nya yung apron. He's still in his pajamas and his sweatshirt. His hair: messy. I admit, gusto ko yung nilagay nya sa noo ko.
"Is it cold?" he asked.
"Yeah. It is. I think it's pretty awesome." I said.
"Yeah, kasing lamig mo." Sabi nya.
"Sagel." I scolded coldly. Like seriously. Hugot lines early in the morning?
"Sorry. I just feel bad, you're the one who's always cooking, you know? This time I figured out that I should cook for you. And besides, may sakit ka last night. Which reminds me, bakit gising ka ng 2 am and doing some paper works? Don't go to work today. By the CEO'S orders." Sagot nya naman sabay kamot sa ulo.
"Sagel, it's my job to cook for you, to take care of you. You don't need to do that. We both know that this relationship is purely business. But then I'm still your wife, for now. Sabi ko na nga ba ikaw nagdala sakin eh, alam mo kahit may sakit ako kailangan ko magtrabaho. And I consider you my friend. So to cook for you is my way of saying thank you for being my friend when I needed one. So let me—" he pulled me by my waist then he kissed me. Tinulak ko sya papalayo sakin.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" I shouted. "Akala ko napag usapan na natin 'to una palang? Sagel I told you, kaibigan lang kaya ko i-offer. Our relationship is long over! Our relationship right now is purely business. We're just friends with benefits, for the sake of your image and mine." Dagdag ko.
"Ah, oo nga pala. Sorry di ko naalala, ganun na nga lang pala kadali no? kalimutan yung nakaraan." Sabi nya, sarcastically. Napakamot ako sa ulo sa sobrang irita. Seriously, Sagel? Sa ganitong oras?
"Seriously, Sagel? Sa ganitong oras?Sagel, alam ko naman na kaibigan lang din tingin mo sakin. Magkikipag make-out ka ba sa ibang babae kung may feelings ka pa sakin? Hindi diba? Kasi hindi ganun yung pagkakakilala ko sa'yo. You know what? sa labas nalang ako mag b-breakfast. We both know na wala na tayong feelings. And alam ko rin naman, na kaibigan nalang ang tingin mo sakin at ganun din ako."
"No, you're wrong."
"Sagel alam kong alam mo na hindi parin ako nakakapag move-on diba? Sagel it still hurts. At hindi ako mali, why would you do that? Why would you make out with someone if you love someone? Sinong matitinong tao ang gagawa nun? Kahit siguro si Eli hindi gagawin yun." Sabi ko sakanya. Napatahimik sya sa sinabi ko. I gasped in realization na dapat hindi ko sinabi yun, that I shouldn't have compared him to his late brother.
"I'm sorry."
"No, alam mo tama ka eh, kahit si kuya hindi gagawin yung ginawa ko. Kahit gano pa kalaki yung galit nya, di nya gagawin yun. I'll see you in the office, yun eh kung papasok ka." Sabi nya.
I felt bad. Saying those words to him.
"I'm sorry. I'll see you in the office then." Sabi ko sakanya bago ako umalis.
"Oh. And one more thing Faye." He called. Liningon ko sya, pero hindi sya nakaharap sakin.
"Hindi lang din naman ikaw yung nasaktan eh, ako rin naman. Hindi lang ikaw yung nawalan, ako rin. Stop acting like you're the one who only lost kuya, masakit din para sakin na nawala sya, pero alam mo hindi lang yun yung masakit. Alam mo yung isa pa? yun yung tingin mo kaibigan lang tingin ko sa'yo. Kasi hindi eh. Mahal kita. Mahal na mahal parin kita." He said. He walked away.
I crossed the line, I shouldn't have said that.
Sagel...
*time skip brought to you by the new character/S*
"So, you've been hurting him, correct?" he sleepily answered.
"Yeah, I know. Ever since we moved in together, I've been hurting him, a lot. And I don't know what to do anymore. Come on, Alex tell me what should I do?" I'm in Alexander's place, eating some breakfast. Yeah~ ditto nalang muna ako kumain. Huehue. Nakakaiyak lang, dapat talaga hindi ko na sinabi yun eh.
"I crossed the line, Alex!" sabi ko, pero napansin ko kanina pa sya hindi umiimik simula nung huli nyang sinabi. "Are you okay?" sabi ko sakanya, nasa table kami, magkaharapan. Pero napansin ko nakabalot sya ng thick blanket. Nakatitig lang sya sa baba, tapos parang hindi ako naririnig, seriously? May kausap ba ako? Nasa realidad pa ba si Xander?
"Hey, you don't usually wrap yourself in your thick blanket unless something happened. Hey, Alexander!" sabi ko uli.
"She's back. We met last night, you best friend. Bhudz."
"Ha?" was all I answered, I mean. I knew that she's coming back, with her boyfriend.
"Bhudz sent me an invitation for her wedding, with Chester." He answered. My eyes widened in shock. Nakayuko lang sya all the time. Ngayon ko lang napansin. I'm so busy.
"Great, now I've become so insensitive that I didn't notice that my cousin-in-law is—WAIT WHAT?!"
"Your best friend is getting married. Please don't make me say it again." Sabi nya, he looked at me straight in the eyes. Namamaga yung kanya, I wanted to give him a worried look, para lang alam nya na may pake ako sa nangyayari. But he didn't want that. Lumapit ako at tumabi sakanya, nilagay ko yung kamay ko sa likod nya.
"You've been crying. Aren't you?" sabi ko sakanya.
"Me? No way." Sabi nya sakin.
"Stop being a tsundere." Sabi ko sakanya. Tumawa sya pero yung peke.
"Yeah, so? I mean wow. She's my first love and everything. She broke up with me the day I proposed to her. She told me that she's sick of me and that she's tired. Four years later, she's getting married. With her best friend, and now, her fiancé. She's back, to break my heart once again. It still hurts." Sabi nya ng nagpipigil ng iyak.
"Yeah, hurts like fuck." I gave him a small smile. He choked, and that's when I knew.
He still can't let go of her. He let out a sob. It pains me to see a friend like this. I patted his shoulder murmuring words.
"I wanna get wasted tonight." He said in between sobs. I gave a chuckle then nodded.
"Then, wasted it is." Sabi ko sakanya. He looked at me tapos pinunasan nya ilong nya.
"Are you sure? Di pa kayo okay ni Sagel ah? Sigurado ka ba na papayagan ka nya?*sniff*"
"You dumbass, wipe that disgusting falling thing on your nose. It's my problem, ako na bahala dun." Sabi ko sakanya sabay abot ng table napkin.
"*sniff* o-okay, magpapalit na ako. Pasok na tayo." Sabi nya. lumabas ako ng condo nya para makapag palit na sya.
-time skip-
"Good Morning ma'am! May scheduled meeting po kayo this morning with Mr.Go, okay na po ba kayo?" tanong sakin ni Mia pagpasok ko.
"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah break please." Sabi ko, lumabas kaagad si Mia. Ugh, great.
What am I going to do? Hindi ko na alam, should I say sorry to him? Or just stay as it is?
"Ma'am here's your coffee and amnesia cake." Huh? Pinatong nya yung pagkain sa desk ko.
"Mia, I didn't ask for food, I want to take a break. Away from work." Sabi ko sakanya. I sighed deeply. What should I do?
"Uh, is that so Ma'am? Sorry po, iwan ko nalang po in case. 10 am po pala yung meeting Ma'am." Sabi nya sabay tingin ko sa wristwatch ko. Maybe a meeting with a client will get me distracted.
"Oh, I'll proceed to the meeting room." 9:45 am, sakto lang to.
Nag buhbye na ako kay Mia tapos naglakad papunta sa meeting room.
Pagpasok ko nakita ko si Sagel na nakatayo sa may window.
He didn't notice my presence, nakatingin lang sya sa labas. He's wearing his suit, his hair is as usual, messy. But it suited him.
"Good morning, Sir." Sabi ko sakanya. Lumingon sya sakin he gave me a small nod.
"Good morning, Faye." Sagot nya pabalik, I took a seat.
Silence, awkward silence.
Okay, this is my chance. I should ask him what he wants for dinner then I'll take that chance and say sorry to him.
"You're still mad? Sagel... can we, talk?" sabi ko sakanya.
Humarap sya sakin tapos tumayo ako at lumapit sakanya. Okay, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
Tiningala ko sya at tinignan ng diretso sa mata.
"Look Sagel, I'm sorry about what happened... this morning. I shouldn't have said that. I crossed the line, I should've considered your feelings. I'm sorry. I am really sorry." I said, pero tumingin lang sya sakin.
"Please... say something." Sabi ko sakanya. I waited patiently for his answer or for him to say something.
Pero wala.
"I... understand. Please just bear with me during this meeting." Sabi ko sakanya. Tumalikod nako para bumalik sa upuan ko.
Pag upo ko umupo na rin sya sa harap ko, I guess he's really mad about what happened. I mean, kahit sino naman siguro, diba?
Nireview ko nalang yung proposal uli baka incase na may makalimutan ako.
Bumukas bigla yung pinto tapos may pumasok sa matangkad na... binata?
"Good Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Martirez, sorry I'm late." Sabi ni Mr. Go, nag shake hands sila ni Sagel.
"I'm Sebastian Go, Fushioka group of company's representative. Mr. Fushioka sent me here, he won't be in the country until tomorrow. So, let's discuss about the proposal?" sabi nya, umupo kaming tatlo then we discussed about the proposal.
-
The meeting lasted for about two hours and fuck, I'm so hungrrrryyy. But I need to discuss the finances.
"So, Mr. Go about the finances here is the—"
"No, Mrs. Martirez. Mr. Fushioka wanted you to discuss the financial matters about the proposal personally. He said that he will meet with you. If that's okay with Mr. Martirez, that is." Sabi ni Mr. Go. Meet with me? Personally? Oh.
"I don't see a problem with that. Just contact her office if ever Mr. Fushioka wants to see her." sabi ni Sagel. Well that's a first.
"Okay, so I'll tell everything to Mr. Fushioka. Mrs. Martirez, I'll see you in a few days." Sabi ni Mr. Go tapos lumabas na sya. Inayos ko na yung gamit ko para makalabas na ako at ayusin yung dapat ko ayusin.
"Thank you, for bearing with me... are you sure it's okay for me to meet with Mr. Fushioka? I mean don't you want to come?" I asked him.
"He asked for you personally. Mas okay na wag ako pumunta. Una na ako."
"Wait... Sagel please. I understand that you don't want to talk to me or anything. I'll sleep at the guest room and I'll make sure you'll never see my face when you get home. Take care." Sabi ko sakanya then umalis na ako. Pero nilingon ko uli sya.
"W-wag kang magpapagabi, atleast let me know kung nakauwi ka na, eat your lunch okay? Wag ka magpapagutom. Please." sabi ko. Tapos lumabas na ako ng office. Hinawakan ko ng mahigpit yung folders at files.
Huh? Bakit ang sakit? Bakit ang bigat sa dibdib na hindi nya ako kinakausap?
Bakit ganito?
"Oy! Faye!" may tumawag. Gaah.
"Alex." Sabi ko, liningon ko sya. He's smiling.
A fake one.
"Want to go grab some lunch? McDo. Dali!" sabi nya sabay hila sakin.
"Fine. Just let me drop this damn papers into my office." Sabi ko sakanya. Ngumiti lang sya tapos naglakad na papalayo.
Okay, medyo lutang ako naglalakad.
"Faye."
Shit, ayaw nya talaga ako kausapin. Uwaaaa~ anyway, saan kaya kami iinom mamaya ni Alex? Makakauwi kaya ako ng matino?mukhang kailangan ko rin ata kasi uminom. Hihihi. Pero.
Bakit masakit. Yun talaga. Yun.
"Huh?" bakit may basa sa pisngi ko? Have I been thinking about it too hard?
Shit, ako? Umiiyak?
"S-Sagel..."
"What are you doing here? Di ba dapat nandun ka sa office mo?" his voice. Sagel's
"Huh?" nasan ba ako,
"AH! SORRY! DAPAT NGA NASA OFFICE AKO SORRY SORRY!" sigaw ko sakanya. He gave me a confusing look.
"Focus on your work. Don't slack off. You are the vice president for finances, do you understand? Get to work." Sabi nya sabay pasok sa office at...
"Ma'am, are you okay?" sabi sakin nung secretary nya. Bago 'to, he fired the old one yesterday. That was when reality hit me.
HE JUST SCOLDED HIS WIFE IN FRONT OF THEIR EMPLOYEES!
Binagsak ko yung pinto ng office nya tapos ni lock ko, and he just stared at me like nothing happened!
"Sagel, I know I have done something wrong this morning. And I am sorry about that! Pero wag mo nga idamay yung trabaho natin sa issues sa bahay? Please?"
"I don't want to see you or hear your whining. Get out." He said coldly.
"Fine! If that's what you want, then fine! Let's finish this! I quit! Find a new VP, and don't expect me to be home. I'm moving out if that's what you want." Sabi ko. Tumayo sya at lumapit sakin and he pinned me into the wall.
"Faye." He whispered into my ear seductively.
"Mmm." I answered, looking away.
"Look at me when I'm talking." Sabi nya. tinignan ko sya sa mata. Bakit ako kinakabahan? "Faye..." he whispered again.
"S-Sagel." I answered back.
"Oh, my little wife... you don't need to be afraid. No... do you have any idea on what I wanted to do with you right now? You look so... so helpless. I want to slam you into the table and do you, you know?"
"Sagel... wh-what are you talking about?"
"You know what I am talking about. My pretty, little, arrogant wife"nanlaki mata ko sa sinabi nya. what? "I want you to scream my name over and over again." He smirked. What the actual fuck?
"Sag—ha!" he shoved his mouth into mine. Fuck.
He pinned my closer to the wall as he explores my mouth. Why am I not fighting back? I should fight him but it felt so right. I pulled him closer to me. He let out a chuckle then he moved his mouth into my ear. He licked my earlobe and I let out a moan.
"You're not moving out, you won't resign. Do you hear me?" he said when he pulled back.
That was...
Wrong.
--
Naglunch kami ni Xander, I took the rest of the day off, naalala ko nga kasi kailangan ko pala samahan si Xander. Hindi ko alam sasabihin ko sakanya. I still can't get over sa nangyari kanina.
"HEY! I'M TALKING! HELLO? Ayame to earth?"
"Ha? Uh yeah, so... off ko na ngayon, after nito, saan pala tayo pupunta?" sabi ko, kakatapos lang naming kumain. So yeah, 3 pm na so san kami pupunta?
"I reeeaaaalllyyy have no idea, Faye. Where do you suggest?" sagot nya habang subo ng sundae.
"Eli?"
"Eli... sure, why not." Sagot nya sakin pabalik. Inayos na naming yung gamit naming.
"Eh, san ka pala matutulog, Faye? Di ba... galit sa Sagel sa'yo?" tanong ni xander, napakunot ako ng noo. Kasi seryoso? Hindi ko rin alam kung saan ako matutulog.
"No idea." Sagot ko paglabas namin.
"Then... kung wala talaga, you can sleep at my place. Dalawa naman kwarto dun, you can sleep at the guest room." Alok nya.
"I guess, wag muna. But kung ayaw nya talaga, I'll consider your offer. Thank you, Xander." I smiled. He gave me a smile then nag drive kami papunta sa sementeryo.
**
"May tao, Faye." Sabi ni Xander. Pagkakita naming sa grave ni Eli, may fresh flowers. Tapos may lalaking umalis sakto pagdating namin.
"Galing siguro dun sa lalaki kanina." Sabi ko sakanya.
"Imposible namang si Sagel or si Tito, I mean Tito is out of town and Sagel is in the office, right?"
"Yeah..."
"And hey... may name?" sabi ni Xander. Tinignan naming yung tag sa flowers.
"It says... Thank you... I am forever indebted to you. May you rest in peace, I'll live on I won't let your death be in vain. –L. Fushioka"
Fushioka? I've heard that name somewhere...
"L. Fushioka? Wala namang nababanggit si kuya na name sakin na ganun." Sabi ni Xander.
"I don't know him either, kilala ko lahat ng kaibigan ni Eli."
L. Fushioka. Who is he?
'I am forever indebted to you.' What's the meaning of that? 'I'll live on, I won't let your death be in vain'
"This L. Fushioka knows something about Eli's death." Xander said.
L. Fushioka...
"We must find him."
"What? We haven't seen his face!" sabi ni Xander.
He's right.
Kailangan ko sya makita, kailangan ko sya makausap.
And know everything, that I needed to know.
--
C3 updated
Comment po kayo plith. Huhuhu.